Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a solid-state image sensor, a solid-state image sensor, and a camera.
Description of the Related Art
For protection against plasma damage during the manufacturing process, a solid-state image sensor having a structure in which a silicon nitride film is formed on a photoelectric converter including a photodiode has been proposed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-41726 describes a method of manufacturing a solid-state image sensor having a structure in which a silicon nitride film as the material of side spacers of a MOS transistor is not etched back but left behind on a photoelectric converter. More specifically, after a silicon nitride film is deposited, the silicon nitride film is so processed as to form sidewalls of a MOS transistor by etch back in a peripheral circuit region, and a photoelectric conversion region is protected by a mask. This method can reduce plasma damage to the photoelectric converter.